Quick Overview

Lauded as one of the most discussed watches in modern timepiece collecting and the most desirable vintage sports watch today, the Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona has achieved a near cult following among watch enthusiasts. The watch was made famous by actor, racecar driver and philanthropist Paul Newman who was seen wearing this version of the Daytona for many years thus earning it the moniker. The characteristic that sets a Paul Newman Daytona apart from the rest lies in its “exotic” bi-color dial. The subsidiary dials feature an art deco style font for the numerals and a small square at the end of the hash marks. Its design also includes a small step between the outer minute track and the center of the dial. When Rolex began producing the exotic dials in the 60s, they were largely ignored as people preferred the traditional Daytona dials over the more unconventional multi-colored “panda” dials. Since these versions sold so poorly at the time, not many were produced. It is said that for every 20 Daytona models produced by Rolex, only one featuring the “exotic” dial was made.